Automatic fire-extinguisher.



G. 0. LILJEGREN. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINBUISHER. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1. I915.

1,172,469. Patented Feb. 22,1916.

GUNNAR O. LILJEGREN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.'

Application filed September 1, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUNNAR 0. LIME- GREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Automatic Fire-Extinguisher, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic fire extinguishers.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic fire extinguisher having a strut composed of two coactinglevers mounted in position to hold the closure in connection with the nozzle and provided with an improved link of novel construction for holding the lever in proper adjustment so that, when the fusible inaterial of the link becomes fused, .the pressure of the water within the nozzle will cause the levers to separate the link members and permit the closure to be forced away by the water coming out of the nozzle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the class mentioned comprising a link of novel construction and consisting of two end pieces which are connected to the levers and which engage with an intermediate or central piece which is free of the levers, and solder placed upon the angular engaging portions of the several pieces to hold them in assembled relation and arranged so that when the solder is fused the pressure of the levers will throw the three pieces apart and permit the water to come out of the nozzle.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the device. Fig. 2 is a side' elevation.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the end pieces of the link by which the two coacting levers are held together. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the middle or central portion of the link. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the other end portion of the link.

The nozzle 1 is exteriorly threaded so that it may be readily connected with the water pipe upon which it is to be mounted.

' A yoke or frame 2 is in connection with the nozzle and supports an adjusting screw 3 which is in axial alinement with the axis of Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedFeb. 22, 1916.

Serial No. 48,561.

the nozzle. The adjusting screw passes through the outer portion of the yoke or frame 2 and binds in place the distributing plate 4 by which the water, coming out of the nozzle, is sprayed or distributed over a considerable area. The inner extremity 5 of the screw 3 is pointed so as to provide a more efficient contact point for the lever. The closure 6 is adapted to close the opening from the nozzle and is formed with an attenuated projection 7 in alinement with the point 5 of the screw 3.

An outer lever 8, which is angular in side elevation, has a recess in the end of one of its arms receiving the pointed extremity 5 of the screw 3 which constitutes an abutment or bearing for said lever. The angle of the lever 8 is formed with a bearing-p0r tion 9 which abuts against a bearing portion 10 of an inner angular lever 11. The end of one of the arms of the lever 11 bears against theattenuatedportion 7 of the closure 6 and the two levers are mounted in substantially the same vertical plane and are of substantially the same length. The outer portions of the levers 8 and 11 diverge from .10 of the two levers 8 and 11 are laterally from an axialv line passing through the screw 3 andthe nozzle 1 so that the pressure of the water within the nozzle tends to separate the two levers, thus requiring the provision of a connection for holding the two levers together and which will yield to the influence of heat of a predetermined temperature to permit the two levers to separate so that the water may come out of the nozzle. This connecting device between the ends of the levers is of novel construction and I will now describe the same.

The connecting device or link is .composed of three cooperating members or pieces. Themember or piece 13 isin the form of a plate having an opening or passage 14 for receiving the hook 12 of one of the levers 8 jections or flanges 15 which may be formed by turning or bending the edge portions of the plate. The opposite edge of the plate 1s provided with a laterally extending flange or projection 16 which may also be formed by bending or turning the edge portion of the plate.

The opposite end member or piece of the link consists of a plate 17 having an opening or passage 18 for receiving the hook 12 of one of the levers 8 or 11.. The plate 17 is also provided with laterally extending projections or hooks 19, similar to the projections 15 and are formed by bending or turning the edges of the plate 17 at the sides of the passage or'opening 18. The edge of the plate 17, opposite from the hooks or projections 19, is provided with the laterally extending flange or projection 20, similar to the flange or projection 16 and formed by bending or turning the edge portion of the plate.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the combined length of the plates 13 and 17 is somewhat greater than the distance between the ends of the levers 8 and 11 so that, when said plates are placed upon the levers, the flange or projection 20 of the lower plate-17 is above the plane of the flange or projection 16 of the upper plate 13.

The central or intermediate member or piece of the connecting link is angular in formation and the construction thereof will be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 4. By reference to these views of the drawing, it will be seen that the central member includes the upper portion 21 adapted to bear against the face of the plate 13 and the lower portion 22 adapted to bear against the face of the plate 17 and a substantially horizontal portion 23 constituting a connection between the upper and lower portions 21 and 22 and adapted to be engaged by the flanges or projections 16 and 20 of the upper and lower portions of the connection. Thus, by reference to Fig. 1, it will be understood that the flange or projection 16 engages under the shouldered connection 23, while the flange or projection 20 engages over said shouldered connection. This arrangement holds the three pieces of the link in oblique planes with respect to the axis of the nozzle so that, when the fusible material bonding toget er the three pieces of the link becomes brokenor fused, the pressure of the levers 8 and 11 upon the different portions of the 7 link will readily separate them.

The upper and lower edges of the plate 21--22 are below andabove the flanges 15 and 19 respectively, so that they will not become engaged therewith, but will be free to spread apart when the fusible solder permits. Said projections, however, constitute engaging portions for the solder as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1, so that the solder cannot be broken by the pressure of the levers. It will be seen that the upper portion 24 of the solder engages under the flanges or projections 15 and is securely and firmly bonded therewith and with the face of the upper portion 21 of the intermediate member of the link, The solder 24 also engages and holds the flange or projection 20 upon and in connection with the shouldered connection 23 of the intermediate member of the link. Similarly the lower mass 25 of solder engages with. theflanges or projections 19 and with the face of the lower portion 22 of the intermediate member and also engagesthe flange 16 0f the upper plate 13 holding the same under and in connection with theshoulderedconnection 23 of the termediate member of the link. The solder placed. in. this way forms a strong bond between the difi'erent members of the link which, being mounted in the oblique pontions described and illustrated, readily separate or spread under the pressure of the le vers so that, when the solder becomes fused, the nozzle is quickly opened.

The advantages of a device embodying these principles and features of construction 'are obvious. It will be understood that I do not confine myself to specific features of construction, except where such features are included within the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an automatic fire extinguisher, a fusible link comprising two duplicate and interchangeable end plates each having a hole near its outer extremity, a flange extending across the inner edge of each plate, an intermediate member having ashoulder engaging the flanges at the inner edges'of said plates and having upper and lower portions bearlng against the surfaces of said plates,

flanges at the sides of said holes on the same side with said first-named flanges extending,

across the plane of said intermediate member and fusible solder engaging said flanges and said shoulder and the ends of said member to bind said parts together.

2. Inan automatic fire extinguisher, a fusible link comprising two end plates adapted to engage with the strut levers, lateral flanges adjacent to the outer end of each plate, a lateral flange at the inner end of each plate on the same side thereof with the first-named flanges, an intermediate member having upper and lower portions bearing against the side surfaces of said plates and having a shouldered connection engaging with the flanges at the inner ends of said plates, the outer ends of said intermediate member being beyond the inner ends of said plates and a sufficient distance from the I flanges near the outer ends of said plates to 5 ing said shouldered connection eifectively to bind said parts together.

In witness whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribmg Witnesses.

GUNNAR O. LILJEGREN.

Witnessesi N. G. BUTLER J OHN D. RIPPEY. 

